Vital Notes

By: Andrew Polino

Work:

These were the processes I came up with from a day of working with Brittany on fine-stitching scenes for the Gainesville project. These were specifically used to troubleshoot flaws (seam lines, ghosting, misalignment, etc)

1. Start off by adding a key frame for fine-stitching at the very beginning of the clip you're working on. This very likely won't be the only key frame you need to use (especially if it's an active scene where there's action in the foreground and/or background), but it helps to start off with a scene that looks lined up and blended together.
2. Brittany kept very close track of her fine-stitching adjustments, noting the number of meters she set every single seam line (Top, Bottom, 1-4). This is important information to keep track of, especially if you want to revert a seam line back to an earlier configuration (or 'undo' your most recent adjustments).
3. If you're using multiple key frames for different parts of the scene, you may experience a "jump" in the picture as the seam lines immediately change to the setting the program automatically assigns them when you generate a new frame, which you can diminish by setting the stitch lines as close as possible to the previous keyframe. 
4. Do NOT neglect adjusting the "Tom" and "Bottom" stitch lines. We solved several "flaws" in the image (particularly in interior scenes like a cell, kitchen, or bus) where objects seemed pushed out of alignment between the scenes by adjusting the Top/Bottom line, AND whatever stitch line the object was on so that it lined up vertically as well as horizontally. 
5. Sometimes an object/person can be TOO close to the camera to effectively fine-stitch. We ended up replacing one of the Gainesville shots altogether because the camera was so close to the wall and a desk with a chair that for every adjustment we would make to one part of the scene, another part would be out of alignment and unfixable.
6. When you "Add a New Keyframe", the software automatically adjusts all the seam lines according to what the program automatically analyzes in the frame. In other words, it automatically fixes what it "THINKS" needs to be fixed. And it is not always correct. Yet another reason to keep track of the settings for each key frame you make. 

These are all ideas that will be much easier to get across with visual aid. So any lessons or demonstrations on fine-stitching would have to boil down to:

• How to use the "Top" and "Bottom" stitch lines along with whatever seam you're trying to adjust in order to properly align objects in the frame.
• Why to use more than just one key frame (foreground/background difference, people/objects moving across lines) and HOW to do it in a way that doesn't lead to picture-jumping
• Things that can't always be fixed by fine stitching
• The offset between "Left Eye", "Right Eye" and why it helps to look at each eye and full "Stereo" view for reference when you're fine stitching (also why taking advantage of the 'Playback' in Humaneyes is essential)
• A close look at the Stitch lines you can control (#1-4, Top, and Bottom), what adjusting each one controls (and DOESN'T control)

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Next Steps

• Collect screenshots or clips of fine-stitching in action and organize lessons with visual aid
• Identify the most common problems fine-stitching solves and establish consistent workflows for solving them
• Pinpoint the areas each "stitch line" controls

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